Upland metal theft suspects burned while stripping live wires

UPLAND - Two suspected metal thieves were hospitalized late Thursday after they tried to strip copper from charged electrical lines at an industrial building.

Rodney Juarez, 41, of Chino and Sean Ferguson, 41, of Pomona suffered burns on their hands after being shocked by the lines at the abandoned warehouse in the 1000 block of West Ninth Street, police said.

"There have been issues in that area before with people going in and trying to steal copper," Upland police Lt. John Moore said.

An officer who was patrolling the area at 10:20 p.m. saw two men running away from the property.

Police officers found the men hiding nearby, Moore said.

Firefighters gave Juarez and Ferguson medical treatment and took them to a hospital.

The men were later booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of burglary.

They are scheduled to appear in court on Monday, according to booking records.

Moore said he has encountered other metal thieves near where Juarez and Ferguson were shocked.

"They were lucky," Moore said.

The abandoned warehouse had previously manufactured parts for race cars.